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Original ‘Ghostbusters’ Director Rationalizes The Reboot’s Hate

Much has been made about the upcoming “Ghostbusters” reboot starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon. The film has been the subject of controversy, leading everyone from the film’s co-writer Katie Dippold to Sony Chairman Tom Rothman to comment on the backlash. The film has other friends in high places as well, including the original film’s stars Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ivan Reitman — who directed the first two “Ghostbusters” films — reiterated his support for the new film and gave his rationalization for the reaction the Paul Feig-directed film has received.

“There was no one-and-a-half-minute trailer that was going to stand up to that emotionality of what that experience was like,” said Reitman of the film’s initial trailer, which was a promo that even Melissa McCarthy found confusing. “It goes beyond how good or bad a movie is. It goes to kind of a life experience.”

Reitman also thinks that the backlash has more to do with fans being fiercely loyal to the original than it does with misogyny. “[The backlash] surprised me a little bit, but then I realized many of the people who are writing were about eight or nine years old when the 1984 Ghostbusters movie came out. It was kind of a seminal moment in their lives,” said Reitman. “Look, it’s a nice compliment to me, that the film has sort of held up for them as an important cinematic experience in their lives.”

But the director also believes that this new cast will win over all the haters, specifically because they have so much in common with the original crew. “The most important thing is the four women are spectacular together,” he said. “They’re exactly at this point in their lives that my Ghostbusters were as well, in terms of their accomplishments. That’s why I’m so confident in this screening that’s coming up. When people see them together, all the questions get answered really quickly.”